Hospital coffee machines have received some side-eye as a potential source of spreading infection, but a new study debunks the belief. “To our great relief…a general ban on coffee makers doesn’t seem necessary,” concluded researchers led by Dr. Sarah Victoria Walker, head of the Institute for Clinical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene in Ludwigsburg, Germany. For…  read on >  read on >

Remaining childless throughout adult life might be tied, in some cases, to illnesses experienced in childhood, new research suggests. Childlessness isn’t just about fertility. As a University of Oxford news release on the study noted, “multiple social, economic and individual preferences have been studied” to understand why some adults never become parents.  “Various factors are…  read on >  read on >

SATURDAY, Dec. 16It’s that time of year when your kids come home with sniffles and sore throats, but when should you worry if they have a fever? To a certain extent, fevers are the body’s natural way of fighting infection, one expert says. “Fever helps the immune system,” explained Dr. Christopher Tolcher, a pediatrician with…  read on >  read on >

The first postpartum depression pill approved for use in the United States is now available to women who need it, the drug’s makers announced Thursday. Sold under the name Zurzuvae, the medication can quickly ease severe postpartum depression and help women regain their emotional equilibrium following childbirth. The medication, which is now stocked in specialty…  read on >  read on >